World Cup 2010

World Cup Soapbox: can’t get any worse, can it?

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soapbox

So, seconds away, round two … anything – even boxing metaphors – to make the World Cup seem exciting. An event to remember? Certainly not so far, except for the plucky displays put up by unfancied sides against the more favoured. Pete Sixsmith looks back on a subdued (translation: dull as dishwater) first round …

Well, that’s it, the first round is over and I have seen every team – and so far I have not seen an exciting, end to end game with lots of goals and action and things like that.

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Luke’s World Cup: no wizards of Oz

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luke

The games have varied between tedious and intriguing, without so far being exactly enthralling. But that statement may depend on which games you’ve seen. I saw hardly any of Germany v Australia whereas Luke Harvey watched it all, and it inspired in him this eulogy to Teutonic efficiency …

The Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban is quite an impressive structure. Boasting a capacity of 70,000 during its use as a World Cup venue, every seat offers a perfect view to the ongoing match down below.

However, there will have been few better placed spectators during Germany’s 4-0 rout of Australia than the winning team’s goalkeeper, Manuel Neuer.

The German World Cup machine roared to life in indomitable fashion, and 24-year-old Neuer was very much an onlooker for the majority of the match.

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England 1 USA 1: got a spare keeper anyone?

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usa fans

Darren Bent’s exclusion meant we weren’t really supposed to be too bothered. But an early goal does wonders for everyone’s moral. Doesn’t it? Well, not if followed by 40 minutes of abysmal football and a comic cuts equaliser. Did it get better in the second half? Not a great deal. Best out of that lot, Darren! …


This is an updated version of the halftime posting …


It would not be quite right to say the French commentator could actually be heard salivating when Robert Green, for months linked with a move to a club with an infinitely better keeper (Sunderland), made his pathetic fumble to allow Clint Dempsey’s ordinary, somewhat hopeful long-range strike to spin away from him and over the line.

All the same, the man from TF1 did sound a little excited (though Arsène Wenger, by his side, was altogether more level-headed).

Well, fair play to the French. After a dismal warm-up, and an opening game they dominated without ever really looking like winning, they needed something to cheer them up. The USA’s equaliser served that purpose.

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HT: England 1 USA 1: Green-fingered calamity

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usa fans

Darren Bent’s exclusion meant we weren’t really supposed to be too bothered. But an early goal does wonders for everyone’s moral. Doesn’t it? Well, not if followed by 40 minutes of abysmal football and a comic cuts equaliser. Best out of that lot, Darren! …


It would not be quite right to say the French commentator could actually be heard salivating when Robert Green, for months linked with a move to a club with an infinitely better keeper (Sunderland), made his pathetic fumble to allow Clint Dempsey’s ordinary, somewhat hopeful long-range strike to spin away from him and over the line. All the same, the man from TF1 did sound a little excited (though Arsene Wenger, by his side, was altogether more level-headed).

Well, fair play to the French. After a dismal warm-up, and an opening game they dominated without ever really looking like winning, they needed something to cheer them up. The USA’s equaliser served that purpose.

Read more